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Review: Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum

I have coveted Vitamin C serums for the last five years, it is the first skincare step I introduced to my routine where I noticed a drastic difference & I still notice a difference when this type of product is missing from my regimen all these years later. I have already tried a few duds this year, like Seoul Ceuticals; so I began eagerly eyeballing this Vitamin C serum from Purito in hopes it would be different.

Brand

Purito is a relatively new Korean-based company, they are cruelty-free & their natural ingredients emphasize the 10-Free Skincare Ingredient Philosophy: No parabens, ethanol, surfactants, artificial coloring, fragrance, triethanolamine, phthalein, triclosan, petrochemicals or benzoyl peroxide. The company attempts to reduce their carbon footprint by minimizing cosmetic packaging & it is produced from eco-friendly materials.

I am always a skeptic of any cosmetic that claims to work for every skin type. The Vitamin C derivative is L-Absorbic Acid, it is the most effective form of Vitamin C though may be harsh for sensitive or extremely dry types.

The claims of smoothing lines & pigmentation is an overall accurate claim for Vitamin C, but this serum contains half of the amount for maximum skin penetration. Vitamin C concentration is not the only factor in determining the effectiveness of a serum, but it does play a significant role.

Application

Appearance

This Vitamin C is suspended in Hyaluronic Acid unlike most other Vitamin C serums that are water-suspended, but Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant so the consistency is still smooth & watery. It is a light amber color so the formula will show physical signs of oxidation, the packaging states this serum has a shelf life of 12 months after opening. This is longer than the average Vitamin C serum, which lasts 3 – 4 months.

Scent

There is no artificial fragrance, true to the brand’s nature-based philosophy. It has a mild citrus scent, but not in an overpowering sense.

Packaging

I think we have a winner… For my most hated packaging ever! Again, I always harp that I do not care more about the aesthetics, I want practicality. This Vitamin C serum comes in an airless pump, which is not the standard choice for this type of product & I have come to believe should never be used for this type product either!

This type of serum is very watery, it is impossible to control the amount dispensed with this type of packaging so overall this packaging is very wasteful of the product itself. Every time I end up with an entire palm full of product no matter how slowly I apply pressure on the pump, especially since I ordinarily use only a few drops for my face & neck.

Performance

I really want to like Purito, I just have not found a product that has worked for me so far. No exception here. While most of Purito’s cosmetics have just been my personal preferences, this serum is a hot mess for me.

We already know I think the packaging is junk. The next issue is the name. I take strong stances on misleading advertisements & consumer deception, which is why I do not think this product should be called a “Vitamin C” serum.

This serum has a concentration of 10% L-Ascorbic Acid & 84% Hyaluronic Acid, which makes this a Hyaluronic or hydrating serum by an eighth-fold in my perception. There are two important factors in determining the effectiveness of a Vitamin C serum: Concentration & pH. Maximum absorption effectiveness for Vitamin C occur at 20%, anything higher may result in skin irritation & ideal pH is 4.0 or less. L-AA is the gold standard of Vitamin C because it is the most bioavailable & penetrates the skin better than other derivatives, but the concentration is halved.

Then there are a host of less superficial aspects of this product that I did not like, mainly that it stings so I do not recommend for anyone with sensitive skin. I have dry skin, but I have been using retinol & higher concentrations of Vitamin C for years so I was surprised I had such a strong reaction. I did not find this serum particularly hydrating either despite it containing over 80% Hyaluronic Acid so I am just baffled.

While this product does layer well with other products, it did not wear well on my skin. It felt tight once it dried down, almost like there was a thin layer of plastic wrap on my face.

This is the most bio-available forms of hyaluronic acid, which is already considered a super ingredient for it’s water attracting & binding abilities.

L-Absorbic Acid

The most bioavailable form of Vitamin C, better for absorption because this derivative does not need to go through the process of converting into L-AA to penetrate further into the skin’s surface. This ingredient can stimulate collagen production, increase cell turnover, diminish pigmentation & fine lines depending on the formula.

Niacinamide

More commonly known as Vitamin B3, this ingredient can brighten & reduce uneven skin tone. It can promote cell regeneration in concentrations of 5% or higher.

Human Oligopeptide – 1

Considered one of the best forms of peptides, it stimulates collagen & assists penetrating the skin with substances like hyaluronic acid.

Miscellaneous Notes

This is an attractive ingredient list, but the details are important. Let’s do some basic mathematics, 94% of this serum is Hyaluronic Acid & Vitamin C. The rest of the ingredient list makes up 6% of the serum, which makes all these other attractive individual ingredient minuscule players in this formula. It is better to have smaller good ingredients than bad ingredients, but tailored expectations are important.

Also, this serum requires a mythbusters edition! It has been preached by skincare enthusiasts throughout the years that Niacinamide & Vitamin C should never intermingle, but the reality of this is little more than fiction. Kind of Stephen is a blogger who is actually a scientist & cosmetic chemist explains this entire relationship better than a simpleton like myself ever could, but this myth seems like it is based on outdated research & “cell death” fear mongering.

Value

Price: $15.60 / 60ml, $9.18 per Ounce

This product is available throughout Eastern Asian, it can be bought on Amazon US as well. I was unable to have this shipped to France at the time I was seeking it out in late January so I bought it while I was traveling in Chicago. This brand has only become popularized within the last few months so I am hoping it will become more widely available online for Europe.

However, is this product worth the price? I say pass. Most of the reviews I have read on this product have been positive, but I have seen this product sent out in PR packages along with the Purito Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum as well. It is not a harmful or expensive product so I would not dissuade someone who actively wanted to try this serum, but I have not had a positive experience with it.

Overall

Ranking: 1 / 5

Hard pass, there are better options available on Amazon Prime for this price or less. The ingredient list looks great, though this is a low concentration of Vitamin C so the benefits will not have their full potential. However, there is something about the formulation of all these great individual ingredients that did not create a masterpiece. I found the product irritating & uncomfortable after dry-down.